lawler



Nov. 13, 1928.

J. LAWLER AU'IJONIATICI HEAT GONTROLLING REGULATOR Original Filed NOV- 1, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet Nov. 13', 1928.

Re. 17,135 J. lJ. LAWLER AUTOMATIC HEAT CNTROLLING REGULATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Nov. l, 1924 FIG. 5

' Nov. 13, 1928. Re. 17,135

J. J. LAWLER AUTOMATIC HEAT CONTROLLING REGULATOR Original Filed NOV- l, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 3* M FIG. 6 50 5I Z9v um o J4 v l J 255:75@

` amado@ Qv WW www@ Reissued Nov. 13, 1.928.

UNITED STATES Reims PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. LAWLER, F HOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO DIRECT-CONTROL VALVE COMPANY, 0F NEW YORK, N.

Y., A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

AUTOMATIC HEAT-CONTROLLING REGULATOR.

Original No. 1,555,592, dated September 29, 1925, Serial No 747.264; led November 1, 1924. Application for reissue med september 27, 1927. serial No. 222,394.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in automatic heat controlling regulators. The primary object of this invention is to provide an automatic control for shiftlng members, such as valves, operable by variations in the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding and entering the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide thermostatic controlling means for valves, such as those employed for controlling the How of heating medium in radiators, whereby the temperature in an enclosure may be maintained uniformly at a predetermined de ree. still'further object of the invention is to y provide a thermostatic regulator for controlling heat, rendering the heating problem of buildings or other enclosures more economical as well as sanitary by insuring uni- `form temperature of a predetermined degree.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an automatic regulator for controlling the How of heating medium in radiators which may be adjusted bodily in respect to a radiator for adapting the same to different surroundings.

And still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned type which is of exceedingly simple construction and which eliminates the use of electricity, hydraulicpower, or thermometers as well as any special pipe lines, the invention being readily installed upon any heat radiator for permanent use in connection therewith.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specificationA and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view of the regulator embodying this invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the regulator shown in Fig. 1 and illustrates in dotted lines the possibility of adjusting the thermostatic valve regulator unit in respect to the valve casing supporting the same,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the valve casing and regulatorunit wlth the cover of the unit removed.

Figure 4 is av horizontal sectional view taken upon line IV--IV of Fig. 1,

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of a radiator withy the valve casing interposed between the inlet service pipe and the radiator and with the thermostatic valve regulating unitymounted thereon and extending laterally rearwardly of the central vertical plane of the radiator to illustrate the possibility of y locating the regulator inan out-of-the-way position, and Figure is a side elevational view of a radiator with the thermostatic regulator eX- tending at a different angle to that illustrated in Fig. 5.

In the drawings, wherein 'for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of this invention, the numeral 5 designates a valve casing having an inlet opening 6 adapted to be connected to the service pipe 7, see Fig. 5, and an outlet' union'8 adapted to be connected to a radiator 9, see Fig. 5.- The u per open end 1() of the casing 5 is internal y screw threaded for receiving the substantially cylindrical cage 11 having the flanged opening 12 in its bottom wall within which is slidably received the valve stem 13. This valve stem carries at its lower reduced end 14 the reciprocating valve 15 having a depending threaded stem 16 and a depending peripheral flange 17. Positioned within this depending fiange 17 and held against the body portion of the valve 15 by the washer 18 and nut 19, threaded upon the stem 16 is a valve packing ring 20 which is adapted to engage the valve seat 21 for shutting oi the flow of heating lmedium through the valve casin 5.

gThe upper reduced end 22 of the valve stem 13 has mounted thereona spring retainer 23 which is removably held in place by the nut 24. Encircling the valve stem 13 and bearing at its opposite ends against the lower wall of the cage 11 and the spring retainer 23 is the spiral spring 25.

Threaded on the up r open end of the cage 11 isa cap 26 which is centrally aperl tured and formed with an upstanding tubular stem 27 that is externally screw threaded. This cap 26 clampsto-the upper edge of the from the valve casing 5.'

The thermostatic valve regulator' unit in-v cludes a housing comprising an elongated bottom plate 29 and a cover 30 removably selos cured thereto by the screws 31. The'bottom` plate 29 is formed with an opening 32 adJa-y p and is employed for rigidly securing the thermostatic valve regulator unit in any desired angular relation to the longitudinal axis of the valve casing 5 and outlet'union 8,

as best illustrated in Fig. 2.

' The bottom plate 29 is further provided with an integrally formed annular plate 34 having depending therefrom the suitably spaced solid bosses 35Hto the lower ends of which is secured the ring 36 which clamps the anged edge 37 of a sealed expansion chamber 38 to the said bosses. This expansion chamber includes the corrugateddia phragm top wall 38a and the volatile liquid` content 39.

The bottom plate 29 is further provided with a circular series of apertures 40 which cooperate with the open spaces between the bosses 35` and the series'of apertures 41A formed in the cover 30, for permitting a circulation of air through the apparatus.

Projecting perpendicularly from the top surface of the bottom plate 29 are the pair of ears 42 which pivotally support the centrally fulcruming lever 43. The downwardly curved end 43a of this lever engages an actuator44 which is loosely mounted in the bore of the tubular. stem 27 and rests upon the central portion of the diaphragm 28 in axial alignment with the valve stem 13. The remaining end of this lever 43 is apertured and internally screw-threaded, as at 45,-for the reception of a threaded stem 46 which projects upwardly through the top wall of the cover 30, as best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The lower end of this threaded stem 46 is intended to be maintained in contact with the mushroom plug 47 which bears against the central portion of the corrugated diaphragm top 382t of the expansion chamber 38.

The upper end' of the threaded stem 46 has removably secured thereto an operating handle 48 by means of which the stem 46 maybe moved relative to the lever 43 for varying the length of the downwardly projecting portion of the stem below the said lever. A pointer 49 is splined to the stem 46 and engages a post 50 carried by the top Wall of the cover 30 for limitingthe rotary movement ofthe stem 46 in both directions. A

Lsuitable metallic plate 51 may be mounted the upper end thereof. In Fig. 6, the opposite end of this radiator 9 is illustrated as having an outlet pipe 53 which carries a radiator steam-trap 54 that is connected to the lower endof the radiator. Figs. 5 and 6 clearly illustrate the possibility of adjusting the thermostatic regulator unit in respect to the radiator so that the said unit may extend laterally therefrom either to the side, the rear, or the front whereby the regular unit may be connected to a radiator located in the corner of a'room or extending along one side wall thereof. Fig. 5 clearly shows the regulator unit positioned entirely rearwardly of the front plane of the radiator 9 so that the same will not constitute an obstruction. l

The operation of this automatic heat controlling regulator may be described as follows:

The .reciprocating valve carried by the casing 5 is movable in respectito the valvey seat 21 for centrolling'the amount' of heating medium passing through the said casing. This valve 15 is shown in' Fig. 1 in its fully opened position, the spring 25 normally tending to maintain the said valve in this position. By rotating the stem 46 so that its lower end will project a greater distance below the lever 43, the valve 15 may be manually moved toward the .seat 21 or entirely moved into engagement therewith. Such adjustment of the stem 46 will vary the degree to which the valve may be opened 'or will entirely seat or close the same. It will be seen. that this adjusting of the stem 46 in respect to the lever 43 va'ries the length of the mechanical train which extends from the valve 15 to the lower end of the mushroom plug 47.

The sealed expansion chamber 38 is provided with a suitable quantity of volatile liquid 39 which is so prepared or compiled that it will boil at about 1300. liquid 39. of course, will expand the chamber 38 so that the corrugated diaphragm 38a will bulge upwardly for moving the mushroom plug 4.7 vertically whereby the lever 43 will be The boiling of this rocked to move the actuator 44 downwardly against the valve stem 13, thereby partially or completely closing the valve 15. By operating the stem 46, by means of the handle 48, the regulator' may be adjusted to maintain the temperature of a-room or other enclosure at any predetermined heat and will constantly maintain such heat uniform. It will be seen. of course, that the stem 46 may be operated independently of the expansion chamber 38 for entirely closing the valve.

It has been stated above that the volatile liquid 39 within the chamber 38 has been prepared to boil at a temperature of about 1300. It has been determined that when a room, equipped with this regulator and a radiator, arrives at a-tcmperature of 700. the heated air from the radiatorl and normally .circulating within the room will influence the rau regulator device Q same, and that various changes in the shape, Y

l trally pivoted liquid 39 and the radiation of heat through the valve casing and the regulator housing will also influence the volatile liquid and expansion chamber so that the temperature of thc latter will be at about 135 or 650 hotter than the atmosphere in the room or enclosure.

It is to be understood that I do not desire to limitmyself to the positioning` of the automatic heat-regulator embodying this invention at the upper end of a radiator, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 for the device, without any changes, may be as successfully used in combination with a radiator receiving its supply of heating medium at the lower end thereof.

It is now believed that the method of construct-ing and the manner of operating this will be completely understood by those skilled in the art.

It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shown and described, is to be taken as the preferred example of the size, and arrangement of parts, may be resorti ed to, Without departing from the spirit of the invention orjthe scope of the subjoined claims. l

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent iS: .j

` 1. In a device of the type described, a valve casing, a cage mounted in said casing, a reciprocating valve carried by -the cage, a spring in the cage for opening the valve, a cap mounted on the cage, a tubular stem carried by the cap in axial alignment with the valve, an actuator freely mounted in the bore of said stem, a laterally projecting housing connected to said stem for angular adjustment in respect to the casing, an expansion chamber depending from the housing, a cenlever mounted in the housing Ind en aging the actuator at one end, and adjusta le means connecting the expansion chamber and the remaining end of the lever for varying the distance said valve may open and for causing expansion of the chamber to operate said lever for closin said valve.

2. In a device of the type escribed, a valve casing, a cage mounted in said casing, a reciprocating valve carried by the cage, a spring in the cage for opening the valve, a cap mounted on the cage, a tubular stem carried by the cap in axial alignment with the valve, an ac tuator freely .mounted in the bore of said stem, a laterallyT projecting thermostatic valve regulator unit pivotally mounted on said cap and stem and operatively engaging said actuator, and means for locking said unit in any desired pivotally adjusted position.

' 3. In a device of the type described, a valve casing, a cage mounted in-said casing, a reciprocating valve carried by the'cage, a spring in the cage for opening the valve, a cap mountengaging the actuator ed on the cage, a tubular stem carried by the cap'in axial alignment with the valve, an actuator freely mounted in the bore of said stem, a laterally projecting housing connected to said stem for angular adjustment in respect to the casing, an expansion chamber depending from the housing, a centrally pivoted lever mounted in the housing and at one end, a manually actuated-stem adjustably connected to the remaining end of the lever and capable of being arranged to depend diilerent distances from the lever to vary the distance said valve may open, and a plug resting upon the expansion chamber and engaged by the lower end oit the stem for causing expansion of the chamber to operate said lever for closing said valve` 4. In' a device of the type described, in combination, a valve casing, a reciprocating lvalve in said casing, a spring for opening the valve, a cap mounted on the casing, a tubular stem carried by the cap in axial alignment with the valve, an actuator movable in the bore ot' said stem, a laterally projecting housing connected to said stem for angular adjustment in respect to the casing, an ex'- pansion chamber supported by the housing, a lever carried by the housing and engaging `the actuator at one end, and adjustable means yconnecting the expansion chamber and the the valve, a capl mounted on the casing, a'tubular st em carried by the cap inv axial alignment with the valve, an actuator movable in the bore of said stem, a laterally projecting housing connected to said stem for angular" l adjustment in respect to the casing, an expansion chamber supported by the housing, a

gaging the actuator at oneend, and adjustable means connecting the expansion lever carried by the housing and enf chamber and the other end of the lever for varying the distance said valve may o en and for causing expansion of the cham er to operate said lever for closing said valve, said adjustable means being manually actuatable to close said valve independently of closing effected by said chamber..

6. In a'device of the type described, -in i combination, a valve casing, a reciprocating valve in said casing, a spring 1n the casing for opening the valve, a cap mounted on the casing, a tubular ste-m carried by the cap 1n axial alignment with the valve, an actuator freely mounted in the bore of said stem, a laterally projecting thermostatic valve regulater unit including a, laterally disposed expansion chamber and being adjustably combination, a valve-casing,

mounted on .said cap and stem and opera` tively engaging said actuator, and means for locking said unit in any desired adjusted position.

7. In a device of the type described, in a valve in said casing for controlling supply ot' heating medium, an expansion chamber, means adapted to cause closing movement of the valve by variation of volume of the expansion chamber, means manually actuatable for causing closing movement of the valve separately from movement of said valve caused by variation of volume of said expansion chamber. a laterally projecting housing connected to said casing and supporting said expansion chamber at the side ot' said casing, Said first mentioned means including a valve 'actuating leven adjustably carrying said manually actuatable means. and one end of which lies in said housing opposite said expansion chamber, said housing having' apertures for circulation of air adjacent said chamber through said housing.

S. ln a device of the type described, in combination, a valve casing, a cage mounted in said casing, a reciprocating valve carried by the cage, a spring in the cage for opening the valve, a cap mounted on the cage, a tubular stem carried by thc cap in axial alignment with the valve, an actuator freely mounted in the bore of said stem, a laterally projecting housing connected to said stem for angular adjustment in respect to the casing, an expansion chamber depending from the housing, a centrally pivoted lever mounted in the housing and engaging the actuator at one end, 'and adjustable means connecting the expansion chamber and the remaining' end ofthe lever for varying the distance said valve may open and for causing expansion of the chamber to operate said lever for closing said valve, said housing having apertures for circulation of air adjacent said chamber through said housing. i

9. In a device of the type described, in combination, a valve casing, a valve in a chamber in said casing for controlling the" supply of a temperature changing medium. a flexible diaphragm closing oli' said valve chamber from the exterior, a cap ior said valve casing, a guidevvay positioned substantially centrally of said cap and axially` of said casing, and arranged outside ot' said diaphragm, an actuator engaging' said guide- Way and guided thereby for longitudinal movement. axially ot' the easing and being operatively connected to said valve. a thermostatic expansion chamber. means actuated automatically by variation o1*l volume of said expansion chamber Jfor actuating said valve to control flow of said temperature changing medium, a housing adjacent. lo and laterally projecting from, said valve easing and supporting said expansion chamber adjacent' said casing, said automatically actuated means including a valve actuating lever operai ively connected at one end to said expansion chamber and at its opposite end to said actuator and pivotally mounted intermediate its ends.

In testimony whereof l affix mv signature JAMES J. LAW'LER. 

